Reversible absorption or adsorption refrigerating apparatus



April 19, 1932. .1. o. BovlNG 1,854,778

REVERSIBLE ABSORPTION OR ADSORPTION REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed June18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 j y2 F/az.

April 1'9, 1932. J, Q BOWNG 1,854,778

REVERSIBLE ABSORPTION OR ADSORPTION REFRIGERATING APPARATUS H irak/#sysPatented Apr. 19, '1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE .TEN S ORTEN BOVING,OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLANDA IREvERSIBLE ABSOBIPTION R ADSFIPTIONREFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application led June 18, 19.30, Serial No.461,973, and in Great Britain August 13, 1929.

This invention relates to intermittent reversible absorption oradsorption refrigerating apparatus, preferably of the kind which employsa solid absorption material, such as calcium chloride or asimilar salt,or an adsorption material such as charcoal or silica gel or the like,whilst the refrigerant may be ammonia or other amine, or a haloid saltabsorbing sulphur dioxide, or a hydroxide absorbing alcohol. Theinvention is also applicable to the ordinary wet absorptionrefrigerating system, using for example water and ammonia. The inventionmay'also be applied to the kind of reversible refrigerating apparatus inwhich two generators are provided working in opposite phase and heatedand cooled by heat interchange with a fluid.

The main feature of the invention consists in the generator orgenerators being permanently immersedy in a fluid which is localizedaround the generator and the heat applied therethrough to the generatorduring the heating phase, sorption or re-adsorption phase circulatesthrough a cooler. v

' The fluid employed conveniently may 'be Water, and for effectiveheating and cooling the iuid ispreferably constantly a liquid. However,during the heating phase the Huid 39 maybe permitted to assume thevaporous condition, i. e. steam in the case of water.

With a duplex machine having two generatgrs working in opposite phase,the cooler may be common to the fluid jackets of both generators, theHow between each jacket and the cooler being alternately interrupted. l

The fluid jacket or jackets communicate at the top and bottom with thecooler-and by merely interrupting the communication at the top,convectional circulation of the fluid is localized in vthe jacket orrespect-ive jacket without interrupting communication at the bottom,whereas on the communication at the top being reestablished,thermosiphonic circulation up through the jacket and down through thecoolercan take place.

The fiuid jacket is preferably narrow in oider'to restrict the quantityof Huid to be initially cooled on change of phase and hence the loss,due thereto. Also ythe generator is i ti on but which during there-ab-` annular cylindrical jacket preferably annular with an annularjacket,

centrally heated to set up localized convection during the heatingphase. 1

The cooler is preferably air cooled.

Representative examples of refrigerating i apparatus according to theinvention, are illustrated diagrammatically on the accolnpanyingdrawings, in which Fig. l is a diagrammatic sectional elevaof anapparatus having a single generator.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional elevationj l of duplex generators,and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation evaporators therefor. 4

Figa is a diagrammaticyiew of a" trip gear for operating the valves ofanapparatus having duplex generators. i

Fig. 5 is a diagram of the heating circuits. ig. 6 is a diagrammaticsectional elevation of a modification.

Referring m'ore particularly to Fig. l, a is a generator of anabsorption refrigeratin-g apparatus. This generator a is of annularcylindrical configuration with the axis upright, and contains a solidabsorption medium, such as calcium chloride.

"' The generator a is located in an upright b closely surrounding thewalls of the generator a with but narrow intervening spaces. The jacketb communicates at the top by an upwardly inclined pipe o and at thebottom by a downwardly inclined pipe d with the top and bottom rejspectively of a. cooler e. The cooler e is provided externally with linse1 for the conduction and radiation of heat to the atmosphere.

showing the v The jacket Z), pipes o and d, and the cooler e are filledwith water and are entirely closed. The top of the cooler e however hasan expansible bellows f.

g is a valve which when the bellows f is l vection within the jacket andcannot circulate through the cooler e, and the heating l jacket bto thegenerator a and drives oif refrigerant, for instance ammonia, previouslyabsorbed in the solid absorbent therein.

Eventually, after heating has been proceeding for a period, the pressurein the water in the jacket b, pipes c and d, and cooler e, whichpressure will correspond to the vapour pressur-e of the hot water in thejacket b plus the expansion which has taken place of the water, causesthe bellows f tov expand. By meanspof a trip gear" which will bedescribed later, the expanded bellowsf opens the valve g and also closesa gas valve i to reduce or cut oiil the supply of gas to the burner h.

Communication between the pipe c and the top -of the cooler c is thusre-established, and

the water can circulate thermosiphonically down through the cooler e[wherein it is cooled, and up through the jacket Z) where it cools thegenerator a and the solid absorbent CTI therein, thereby initiating andeecting the re-absorption of refrigerant.

The method of heating a generator of a refrigerating apparatusrthrough aliquid the circulation of which is localized in a jacket surrounding thegenerator, by interrupting the flow ofthe liquid to a cooler, andcooling the generator by` re-establishing the flow through the cooler,can be applied to an apparatus having duplex generators working inopposite phase. -The generators of such a duplex apparatus are shown inFig. 2, wherein a1 is one generator and a2 the other generator. b1, b2are the jackets connected at the top byV pipes al, c2 and at the/,bottomby pipes (Z1, (Z2 to a cooler e in common.

The pipe o1 of the jacket b1 is arranged to be closed by a valve g1 andthe pipe c2 of the jacket bzfis arranged to be closed by a valve g2. Thevalves g1, g2 are mounted on a rocking lever g3 and, through trip gearwhich will be subsequently described, the bellows f at each expansionrocks the lever g3 alternately in one or the other direction to open theone valve g1 or "g2 and close the other valve g2 or g1, to restore thelow of water from the jacket b1 or b2 which hasjust been heated andinterrupt the iow of'water from the jacket b2 or b1 about to be heated.v

Jco

At the same time the trip gear, by `a switch 711, closes the circuit ofan electric heater h1 or 71.2 for heating the'jacket b1 or b2 the valveg1 or g2 of which is closed, and opens\the circuit of an electric heaterh2 or h1 of the jacket b2 or b1 the valve g2" or g1 of whichis opened.

Fig. 2 shows the pipe c1 closed by the valve g1 and the pipe 62 opened'by the valve g2,

and the switch i indicated ina position to close the circuit through theheater h1 and open the circuit through the heater h2.

Referring again to Fig. 1, the refrigerant vapour which is driven vrofffrom the solid absorbent when the generator a is heated, passes by apipe into the top of a condenser k. The condenser c is' located in thecooler e so that the water therein also serves for cooling the condenserc.

The condenser is located beneath the level of an evaporator Z and thebottom of the condenser c is connected to the top of the evaporator Zby`Y an upwardly extending pipe m, so .that the condensed refrigerantinstead of draining'into the evaporator/Z is forced up the pipe m intothe evaporator Zby the pressure developed in the generator a. This isrendered possible by the generator a, condenser and evaporator Z beingvoid of air before being charged with refrigerant.

To prevent heating the refrigerator n by the Vrelatively warm condensedrefrigerant,

the evaporator Z into which the condensed refrigerant passes is heatinsulated from the usual brine tank 0 or refrigerator safe n and solelyindirectly thermally connected thereto by a secondary evaporator andAcondenser system, as follows j The evaporator Z is a heVat-insulatedchamber in heat-exchange proximity with a chamber p communicating at thetop by a pipe q and at the bottomby a pipe r with a coil s `rfrigerantin lthe evaporator Z, the vapour of the ammonia or the like in theclosed-circuit coil-connected chamber p condenses, and owing to the thusproduced reduction in the vapourA pressure in the closed circuit p,g,1,s, the ammonia or the like in the coil s boils, cooling the brine orrefrigerator. During the opposite phase when warm refrigerant isflowing. into the evaporator Z, no' transfer of heat tothe coi'l soccurs, as the chamber p connected thereto and which becomes wamed, islocatedA at a higher level than the coi s.

The refrigerator safe n may contain a thermostat t which controls thesetting of la valve or switch t1 regulating the supply of gas orelectricity to the burner h or burners or electric heater or heaters h1,h2. This is additional to the periodic switching of the From thecondenser coil cl the condensed refrigerant flows by a pipe m1 into anevaporator Z1. The evaporator Z1 is in heat-exchange proximity with achamber pf communicating at the top by a pipe gl. and at the bottom by apipe r1 with a coil s1, constituting a closed circuit containing readilyvaporizable liquid, as described in connection with Fig. 1.

Similarly, the other generator 'a2 is connected by a pipe i2 to a coilcondenser cz,

' which is connected by a pipe m2 to an evapo vided one on each side ofthe' axis of rator l2. Likewise the evaporator Z2 Ais in heat exchangeproximity with a chamber p2 connected by pipes g2 and 12- to a coil s2and constituting a closed circuit containing readily vaporizable liquid.

he trip gear for operating the valves g1,

g2 and the switch h1, is for instance Iarranged as illustrateddiagrammatically in Fig. 4, as follows r To the bellows laterally drawnby u2, and which pawl f is connected a pawl u a spring u1 against a stopu' engages a four toothed ratchet wheel Kv of the standard quarter turnswitch l (Figs. 2 and 5).A This switch l alternatively places one or theother of the electric heaters tl or h2 of the two generators a1, a2 in'circuit. The switch z'l snaps over at lie end of the expansion stroke ofthe belows f.

Alternatively, for gas heating, the pawl u actuates a two-way gas cocktojsupply gas to one and the other burner for'the generators al, a2.

ing disc one or the other of these studs el, z2 alternativelyveventually bears against the respective arm ofthe roc ing lever g3 torock the lever 4g3 to close the respective ValveV g1 or g2 against itsseating and open the other;-

valve g2 -or g1. The rocking valve leverg3 is normally held in its endpositions by` a dead centre spring a. f Y,

Vith la single generator a as illustrated in Fig. 1,-the trip can bearrangedy mainly as above described,

valve L or opens a switch, and opens the valve g re-establishingcommunication with 'the cooler e, and is re-set by hand. .Y

In the examples of apparatus described above, the cooler` c and the'jacket b or jackets b1 and b2 form an entirely closed system one or theother` the rockbut merely closes theAgas Without communication with theatmosphere. Consequently on the jacket b or either of the jacket-s b1 orb2 being heated, the pres-Q sure set up in the system precludes thewater in the respective jacket boiling and forming steam. r

However, if the cooler e is in free communication with the atmosphere orif Otherwise a pressure cannot develop therein, on heating the stagnantwater in the jacket b, b1 or b2 steam will be generated in the jacketand water will be depressed therefrom and driven into the cooler e.Further heating of the generator a, a1 or a2 will then be eli'ected'through the steam conlined in the jacket. lmodification of theapparatus operating 1n this manner with steam heating of the gen.

erator is illustrated in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 6 the parts are as already describedl in connection with Fig. 1,except that the top of the cooler e is in communication with theAatmosphere by a vent e2, and that the valve g is opened and the gas'valve i is closed by a temperature-controlled trip gear which is set byhand.

This trip gear is of known construction and consists of a tubular pocket1 extending downwards into the generator a and contains a mass ofreadily fusible metal 2, on which rests a rod 3, having at its upper enda head .4.

. A rod 5 with a collar 6 rests on the head 4c of the rod 3. The collar6 of the rod 5 Supports one end of alever 7 against the influence of aspring 8, which tends to displace the lever 7 angularly. The lever 7turns about the axis of and isfast with the plug of a gas cockconstituting the gas valve z'. The other end of the lever 7 is connectedby a slotted connection to the stem 9 of the valve 'g`. 10 A is a springwhich tends to depress'the valve g.

On the trip being set as shown to close the upper end of the pipe c bymeans of the valve g, in which position the gas cock i is open, thewater in the jacket Z2 is heated by the flame'of the burner-h. As thewater c-an` not circulate up the closed pipe c and as pressure cannotdevelop in the cooler e owing to the vent e2, the water in the jacket bvwill eventuallyboil and steam will accumulate in the jacket and depresswater therefrom down ing of the jacket b;

- Thefusion temperature of the metal?, in

the tubular pocket 1 is arranged to be such that fusion occurs on theincrease of temperature in the generator a which arises whenapproximately all the 'refrigerant has been,

driven. olf `from'the generator a. vThe rod Ecan then bedepressed by thespring 8, actring on the lever 7 and through the collar 6 then escapespast and rod v5. The lever 7 the collary 6 and turns theplug of the gascock to cut off gas to the burner h and also* Y the pipe Zfinto thecooler e. Continued heatgenerator a will then take place 'through themedium of the steam -in the overpowers the spring and opens the valve g.The steam from the jacket b then passes .up the opened pipe c into thecooler, where `it condenses',

and water from the cooler e passes up the pipe d into the jacket Z)cooling sainel and eventually circulates through the pipec back to thecooler.

11 is a springbeneath the head 4 of the rod 3, which raises the rod 3out of the fused metal 2, and thus prevents it from being congealedtherein when the metal 2 again solidiies on cooling.

The trip is re-set by hand into the position illustrated in Fig. 6.

I claim:

' 1. In a reversible refrigerating apparatus, a generator, a condenserconnected to said generator, an evaporator connected to said condenser,a jacket containing a liquid surrounding said generator, a coolerconnected to the c top and bottom of said jacket, means for -to the topand bottom of said jacket, meansfor heatingI said jacket, andautomatically acting means interrupting communication between the topolsaid jacket andsaid coolen during said heating and 're-establishingsaid communication after a period of said heating.

3. In a reversible refrigerating apparatus, a generator, a condenserconnected to said generator, an evaporator connected to said condenser,a jacket containing a liquid surrounding said generator, a'coolerconnected to the top and bottom of said jacket, means for heating saidjacket,and means operated by the pressure insaid cooler for interruptingcommunication between the top of said acket l and said cooler duringsaid heating and reestablishing said communication after a period ofsaid heating. v

4. Inl a. reversible refrigerating apparatus, a generator, a condenserconnected to said generator, an evaporator connected to said condenser,a jacket containing a liquid surrounding said generator, a coolerconnected to the-top and bottom of said jacket, a valve at theconnection between the top of asaid fjacket and said cooler, means forheating said jacket, and automatically -acting means for opening saidvalve and interrupting said heating after a period of said heating.

5. In a reversible refrigerating apparatus,

' a generator, acondenser'connected to said generator, an evaporatorconnected to sald condenser',a jacket containing a liquidv surroundingsald generator, a cooler connected to the top and bottom of said jacket,a valve at the connection between-the top of said jacket and' saidcooler, means for heating said jacket, and means operated by thepressure in said cooler for opening said valve and interrupting saidheating after a period of said heating.

6. Ir a reversible refrigerating apparatus, a generator, a condenserconnected to said generator, an evaporator connected to said condenser,a jacket containing liquid surrounding said generator, means for heatingsaid jacket, a second generator, a second condenser connected to saidsecond generator, a second evaporator connected to said secondcondenser, a second jacket containing liquid surrounding said secondgenerator, means for heating said second jacket, a cooler connected tothe top and bottom of both said ackets, and means interrupting the flowof said liquid alternately between each of said ackets and said coolerduring said heating Vof said jacket and permitting said flow after aperiod of said heating.

7 In a reversible refrigerating apparatus,

'a generator, a condenser connected to said generator, an evaporatorconnected to said condenser, a jacket containing liquid surrounding saidgenerator, means for heating said jacket, a second generator, a secondcondenser connected to said second generator, a second evaporatorconnected to said second condenser, a second jacket containing liquidsurrounding said second generator, means for heating said second jacket,a cooler connected to the top and bottom of both said jackets, andautomatically acting means infterrupting communication alternatelybetween the top of each of said jackets and said cooler during saidheating of said jacket and reestablishing said communication afteraperiod of said heating.

8.A In a reversible refrigerating apparatus, a generator, a condenser`'connected to said generator, an evaporator connected to said condenser,a jackety containing liquid surrounding said generator, means forheating said jacket, a second generator, a second condenser connected tosaid second generator, a second evaporator connected to'said secondcondenser, al second jacket containing liquid surrounding said secondgenerator, means for heating said second jacket, a cooler connected tothe top and bottom of both said jackets, a valve at the connectionbetween the top of each of said jackets and said cooler, andautomatically acting means for opening each of said valves alternatelyand interrupting the heating of the said jacket the valve of which isopened'after a period of said heating.

9. In a reversible refrigerating apparatus, a generator, a condenserconnected to said generator, an evaporator connected to said condenser,aj jacket containing liquid surrounding said generator, means for.heating lll said jacket, a second generator, a second condenserconnected to said second generator, a second evaporator connected tosaid second condenser, a second jacket containing liquid surroundingsaid second generator, means for heating said second jacket, acoolerconnected at the top and'bottom of both said jackets, a valve atthe connection ibetween the top of each of said jackets and said cooler,means operated by the pressure in said cooler for opening each of saidvalves alternately and interrupting the heating of the said jacket thevalve of which is opened aftera period of said heating. j 10. In areversible refrigerating apparatus, a generator, a condenser connectedto said generator, an evaporator connected to said condenser, a jacketcontaining a liquid sur- -rounding said generator, a cooler connected to2o the top and bottom said jacket, means for lheating said jacket, andmeans operated by the displacement of said liquid in said jacket forinterrupting communication lbetween the top of said jacket and saidcooler during said heating and re-establishing said communication aftera period of said heating.

11. In a reversible' refrigerating apparatus, Y a generator, a condenserconnected to said generator, an evaporator connected to said condenser,a jacket containing a liquid surrounding said generator, a coolerconnected to the top and bottom `of said jacket, a valve at theconnection between the top of said A jacket and said cooler, means forheating said jacket, and means operated by the displacenient of saidliquid in said jacket for opening said valve and interrupting saidheating 'after a periodof said heating.v

12. In a reversible refrigerating apparatus, 40 a. generator, acondenser connected to said generator, an evaporator connected to saidcondenser, a jacket containing liquidsurrounding said generator, meansfor heating v j said jacket, a second generator, a second condenserconnected to said second generator, a second evaporator connected tosaid second condenser, a second jacket containing liquid surroundingsaid second generator, means for heating said second jacket, a coolerconnected tothe top and bottom of both said jackets, a vvalve at theconnection between the top of each of said jackets and said cooler,means operated by the displacement of said liquid g in said jackets foropening each of said valves alternately and interrupting the heating offthe said j-acket the valve of which is opened after a period of saidheating. In testimony whereof-I have signed my name to thisspeciiication. l

- JEN S ORTEN BOVING.

